The last time Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee played against the Celtics, they sent the C’s packing for the summer. The trio were members of the Magic team that eliminated the Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. This year they are in a different uniform and noticed the Cs have a different look as well.

Alston, Battie and Lee were traded from the Magic to the Nets over the summer as part of the Vince Carter deal. On Sunday they got their first take at the Celtics with their new team during preseason action at the TD Garden (recap here).

“They got a brand new season,” Battie said. “I mean, you look and [Kevin Garnett] is back and Rasheed [Wallace] is part of it. They got a great steal in getting Marquis Daniels, and you have those three additions coming back in the team. So, I think they’re the team to beat, definitely.”

Last season a hobbled Celtics squad was outscored, outrebounded and burned from the 3-point line by the Magic. Without Garnett on the court and veterans Ray Allen and Paul Pierce overworked, the Celtics bench could not save the season. Now the additions of Wallace and Daniels give the team much-needed depth.

“They get their big guy back and then they add Rasheed Wallace in there now,” Alston said. “I think when you’re trying to take away a lot of their main guys, they have a lot of guys that can step up and stretch the defense or post up on the low block. They have a different dynamic to their team, especially from a defensive aspect for other teams.”

Both Alston and Lee agree the series would have been completely different if the Celtics had so many weapons last season.

“They would’ve been a better team,” Lee said. “They definitely would’ve been harder for a matchup because you can play Marquis at the 1 and you sub in Rasheed, so they keep a shooting big in at all times, so they definitely would have been better.”

Said Alston: “I don’t think we would have been able to roam a lot off of a lot of their guys — [Rajon] Rondo, [Kendrick] Perkins, Big Baby [Glen Davis]. Those guys who really bring more scoring to the offense, especially from the bench standpoint.”

The combination of a healthy Garnett and a revamped second unit has Alston noticing a difference in the 2009-10 Celtics. Although he isn’t as willing as Battie to name them the best in the Eastern Conference, he can’t deny the changes on the court.

“Whenever they have all their guys, they have a swagger,” he said. “When someone goes down they don’t have swagger no more. That’s just how they are.”

On Wednesday night, all eyes were on Kevin Garnett as he returned to the court for the first time in more than six months during the Celtics’ preseason opener against the Rockets in Hidalgo, Texas. Although Garnett’s playing time was limited, his knee injury looked out of mind when he drained the first shot of the game.

But Garnett was not the only player who returned to the Celtics looking to improve upon last season. Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis lost weight, Rajon Rondo bulked up, and Ray Allen claims to be in the best shape of his career. See how the members of the 2008-09 team fared as they began the 2009-10 season.

Kevin Garnett
Last game: March 25 vs. Orlando Magic
17 minutes, 4 points (2-5 FG), 8 rebounds, 1 assist
Preseason opener: 13 minutes, 6 points (2-6 FG), 5 rebounds, 1 assist

Paul Pierce
Last game: May 17 vs. Orlando Magic
39 minutes, 16 points (4-13 FG), 7-10 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 assists
Preseason opener: 16 minutes, 8 points (2-6 FG), 4-4 FT, 1 rebound, 0 assist

Ray Allen
Last game: May 17 vs. Orlando Magic
41 minutes, 23 points (9-18 FG), 3-6 3PG, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Preseason opener: 17 minutes, 8 points (3-6 FG), 0-2 3PG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist

Rajon Rondo
Last game: May 17 vs. Orlando Magic
37 minutes, 10 points (4-10 FG), 2-2 FT, 6 rebounds, 10 assists
Preseason opener: 17 minutes, 7 points (1-4 FG), 5-8 FT, 1 rebound, 3 assists

Kendrick Perkins
Last game: May 17 vs. Orlando Magic
39 minutes, 8 points (3-11 FG), 15 rebounds, 2 blocks
Preseason opener: 14 minutes, 3 points (1-2 FG), 3 rebounds, 2 blocks

Glen Davis
Last game: May 17 vs. Orlando Magic
31 minutes, 13 points (4-7 FG), 4 rebounds
Preseason opener: 23 minutes, 9 points (3-6 FG), 4 rebounds

Eddie House
Last game: May 17 vs. Orlando Magic
17 minutes, 2 points (1-3 FG), 0-1 3PG, 0 assists
Preseason opener: 21 minutes, 9 points (3-6 FG), 1-2 3PG, 0 assists

Brian Scalabrine
Last game: May 17 vs. Orlando Magic
13 minutes, 2 points (1-5 FG), 1 rebound, 2 assists
Preaseason opener: 18 minutes, 4 points (1-2 FG), 2 rebounds, 0 assists

J.R. Giddens
Last game: March 6 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
1 minute, 0 points (0-0 FG), 1 rebound, 1 steal
Preseason opener: 13 minutes, 1 point (0-1 FG), 1 rebound, 0 steals

Tony Allen (ankle) did not play against the Rockets. Visit WEEI.com’s Green Street for live coverage from the TD Garden on Friday night as the Celtics take on the Knicks in their preseason home-opener.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers appeared on Dennis & Callahan Tuesday morning to discuss the team’s preseason preparations as the C’s get set to play the Houston Rockets in Hidaglo, Texas, on Wednesday night.

Following is a complete transcript. To hear the interview, visit the Dennis & Callahan audio on demand page.

Do you worry about your guys … when you make a trip like that [to Hidalgo, Texas, on the Mexico border]?

I worry more about [Greg] Dickerson doing it than our players. I’m hoping he actually goes and we can steal his passport so he can’t come back.

No, you do worry about it. Guys like going over and having fun or whatever. We have great guys, and we’ll talk to them about it so you’re not that concerned. But you’d rather [they] not be there, let’s put it that way.

Give us several significant highlights to camp at this point. What are we missing here so far?

I think Rasheed [Wallace] and Marquis Daniels, they really have solidified our bench. It’s a veteran bench, very similar to two years ago. Rasheed’s ability to stretch the floor will be amazing when he plays with [Kendrick Perkins] or Kevin [Garnett], it doesn’t really matter which one he plays with, he still stretches the floor, he has the ability to take 5s out. And Marquis Daniels, he’s really good for our team. He’s a small forward, he plays 2 guard as well. From his position, he can handle the ball, and that frees up Eddie [House]. The old point forward — if you remember the Paul Pressey days in Milwaukee, where he handled the ball, and then Sidney Moncrief and Marques Johnson and those guys came off picks. Well, it will be very similar to us with the second team.

Is Rasheed going to be beloved here in Boston?

Yeah. The one thing we knew about Rasheed was the fact that his teammates that he’s played for loved him. He’s always been a great teammate. He’s one of the more verbal talkers on defense in the league — him and Kevin. And it’s amazing. During camp, I have a lot of college coaches come in and they watch camp. And that’s the one thing they keep saying is — well, there’s two things: “Boy, your bigs have a chance to be really good.” The second thing is, “I’ve never seen a team talk as much on defense, especially Rasheed, Perk and Kevin.” So, those are the things they’ll notice. But they’ll love him. I’m sure there will be a couple of nights where he’ll get into an exchange with someone else in stripes, and we’re going to have to deal with that. But that’s not going to be an issue, in my opinion.

Read the rest of this entry »

Big Baby tees off

The Boston Celtics teed off for charity before they tipped off the regular season.

On Thursday current and former players along with members of the organization raised over $150,000 in the Shamrock Foundation’s second annual USI Shamrock Classic, presented by Consolidated Printing, at Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord, MA.

Ray Allen, Glen Davis, Brian Scalabrine, Bill Walker, and J.R. Giddens, head coach Doc Rivers, and President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge were among those who participated. They were joined by former Celtics Tommy Heinsohn, Bob Cousy and Dana Barros, as well as co-owners Wyc Grousbeck, Stephen Pagliuca, and Bob Epstein.

“It was a great day at Nashawtuc and even better day for the many children who are supported by the Shamrock Foundation,” Pagliuca said in a team statement. “We are very thankful to our sponsors and donors who supported this event. This support means even more in today’s tough economy.”

Allen added, “My teammates and I enjoyed playing golf to aid these wonderful charities. Thank you to everyone that contributed to the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation.”

All proceeds from the event, which included a live and silent auction, went toward the to the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation, benefiting Perkins School for the Blind, Boston Children’s, Horizons for Homeless Children, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC), and Berklee College of Music.

(l-r) Bill Walker, Ray Allen, Brian Scalabrine golf for charity

On Thursday, September 17 the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation will host the Second Annual USI Shamrock Classic at the Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord. This event, presented by Consolidated Printing, will feature a celebrity golf tournament, dinner, awards program, and live and silent auctions to benefit the Shamrock Foundation.

Those slated to participate include:

• Ray Allen, Glen Davis, Brian Scalabrine, Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens, and other members of the 2009-10 Celtics
• Head Coach Doc Rivers
• President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge
• Co-Owners Wyc Grousbeck, Stephen Pagliuca and Bob Epstein
• Team President Rich Gotham
• Celtics Legends Tommy Heinsohn, Bob Cousy, JoJo White and Dana Barros
• New Kids on the Block member Donnie Wahlberg
• Comcast SportsNet’s Greg Dickerson, Donny Marshall and Mike Gorman

All proceeds from Shamrock Classic will go toward the Shamrock Foundation, which benefits Perkins School for the Blind, Boston Children’s, Horizons for Homeless Children, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC), and Berklee College of Music.

For more information, visit www.celtics.com.

BOSTON, MA – The Boston Celtics announced today that the club has re-signed forward Glen Davis to a contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Glen has been a big part of our success for the past two years and we are very excited to have him back,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations.

Davis, a 6’9”, 289 lbs, forward has spent two seasons with the Celtics and had a breakout 2008-09 season in which he averaged 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. The former LSU Tiger continued his breakout campaign in the 2009 playoffs during which he averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Davis made 16 starts during the 2008-09 regular season and averaged 12.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 33.0 minutes per game. “Big Baby” scored a career-high 24 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 21, 2009. Davis also hit the biggest shot of his career to date when he nailed a game-winning jumper against the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to send the series back to Boston tied 2-2. During the First Round of the 2009 playoffs against the Chicago Bulls, Davis averaged 18.1 points and 6.7 rebounds.

According to Jeff Goodman of WEEI.com and FoxSports.com, Glen Davis has agreed to a two-year deal that will pay him approximately $6 million. Goodman reports that Davis had fielded some interest from teams in the offseason, but no one put forth an offer to the restricted free agent. Davis, 23, averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in the postseason while playing more than 36 minutes per contest. During the regular season he put up seven points and four boards per game. The Celtics will announce the Davis deal and an agreement with forward Shelden Williams Monday.